Xinhua Insight: Enhanced China-U.S. military trusts to benefit world security

As the just-concluded high-level talks between China and the United States signaled more cooperation and less conflict, analysts believe such an approach will influence world security in a good way.h The two-day Seventh Strategic and Economic Dialogue and Sixth High-level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange ended this week with a number of results and agreements on wide-ranging bilateral, regional and international issues.

Among the outcomes, the two sides agreed to carry on two memorandums, including a notification mechanism for major military activities and the rules of behavior for air and maritime activities.

"If Chinese and U.S. militaries can really establish strategic mutual trust, and rules on security measures, it will show neighboring countries that the two powers willingly take responsibility for regional security and set an example of peace on the world stage," Yin Zhuo, director of an consultation committee of the People's Liberation Army Navy, told Xinhua.

According to Yin, such a relationship will enable the two countries to minimize conflict through communication and cooperation, and ensure that conflict does not lead to military confrontation.

Although the two memorandums are effective voluntary and can be terminated by one side, they play a key role in improving military ties and reducing misunderstandings.

The two sides agreed to discuss more items to be included in the major military activities notification system. Currently, the mechanism includes drills and changes of major security policies and strategies.

"By keeping the momentum of reciprocal military visits at high levels, and opening core combat information to each other, the two sides have maintained in-depth contact, and revealed their intentions to deepen and expand the scope for military and political mutual trust," Yin said.

China and the U.S. agreed to further negotiate and strive for a consensus on air encounters in the rules of behavior for air and maritime activities within this year. The rules currently only cover vessel-to-vessel encounters.

"Encounters between China and U.S. militaries mainly occur in the air and on the sea. It could be dangerous if behavior-regulating rules don't apply to air encounters," Yin said.

American aircraft and vessels have occasionally been seen conducting reconnaissance and patrol operations in the East China Sea and South China Sea areas, leading to fatal incidents in some cases.

In a high-profile case, a Chinese fighter jet crashed and its pilot was killed in April 2001 while tracking a U.S. surveillance plane flying off south China's Hainan Province after the U.S. plane abruptly diverted toward the fighter jet.

"Rules on behavior after air encounters will help avoid tragedies like the 2001 incident," Yin said.

Meanwhile, analysts believe that without communication and dialogue, some American politicians' misjudgements on Beijing's intentions might lead to further misunderstandings and confrontation from China's decision makers, which, in turn, might trigger regional conflict.

"It's of significant importance that the two sides boost transparency in military activities in order to promote mutual understanding and avoid misjudgment," Yin said. Endi